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Policies / Handbooks

Should you buy insurance for employees’ cars?

12/01/2007

Q. We often send employees on assignments to other locations and those employees drive their own vehicles. Should we provide liability insurance on our employees’ vehicles in case of an accident? — D.R., New York …

Military spouse on leave? Employee has leave rights, too

12/01/2007

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed California’s new law allowing military spouses to take leave. The law requires some employers to provide up to 10 days of unpaid leave to the spouse of a qualified member of the U.S. armed forces, National Guard or reserves. Here are employer guidelines on exactly how to administer this new entitlement …

Putting a cap on vacation time accrual

12/01/2007

Q. Our company’s vacation policy provides that once an employee earns 240 hours (or 30 days) of vacation, no additional vacation may be accrued until the balance falls below that level. Is this legal? …

Meanwhile, back at the state, employees seem well fed

12/01/2007

Nobody’s accusing the state of Pennsylvania—where “Bonusgate” charges have been swirling—of underpaying its workers. Trying to hold onto his party’s slim majority in the Statehouse, Democratic Majority Floor Leader Bill DeWeese instituted new ethics policies in the wake of a grand jury probe …

Keeping employees safe when serving alcohol at company parties

12/01/2007

Q. I’m an HR director and I’m planning our company’s holiday party. What is our liability as the host if we serve alcohol? …

Blessed are the peacemakers: Firm provides biblical ADR

12/01/2007

Alternative dispute resolution—or ADR—has many proponents and detractors, but one Indiana attorney has devoted his practice exclusively to a biblically based ADR. Bill Blew, based in Fishers, uses a dispute resolution system developed by Montana-based Peacemaker AE Ministries …

Protecting business—and reputation—Against ‘Cyber-Slander’

12/01/2007

Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new in the business world. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to false statements—that is, downright lies—companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Often, the mere threat of litigation will cause a disgruntled critic to back off. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”

Got wind of harassment? Fast action can cut liability

12/01/2007

We all would like to believe harassment and discrimination can’t happen where we work. Of course, we’re dreaming if we do. Ordinary people sometimes fall back on old stereotypes or react strongly to newly perceived dangers by inappropriately striking out at a group or nationality. Fortunately for employers, isolated acts of harassment, if stopped dead in their tracks, won’t come back to haunt them years later …

Self-Audit: Your Employee Handbook

11/20/2007
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How to Make Legally Smart Job Offers

11/19/2007
Login Email Address Password I forgot my password To continue reading this page, become an HR Specialist Premium Plus member today! Your subscription includes: Ask the Attorney: Answers to your HR legal questions Compliance Guidance: Access to 7,000 HR news articles, updated daily, sorted by state State-by-State: Summaries of HR laws in all 50 states […]